Combined press and clamp



Sept. 30, 1952 1-. H. BIRCH 2,612,411

COMBINED PRESS AND CLAMP Filed Oct. 24, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET l p 30, 1952 T. H. BIRCH 2,612,411

COMBINED PRESS AND CLAMP Filed Oct. 24, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Patented Sept. 30, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT "OFFICE f p I 1. 1 2,612,411." I I COMBINED PRESS nun CLAMP: Thomas H. Birch, Milwaukee, Wis. Application October 24, 1950, Serial No.'1 91 9l )3 relatively thin margin of the back cover. In extremely cold weather, the differential contraction of the cover "and the body causes the cover to buckle between the fastening devices enough to 1 Claim. (01. 3o3 1) freight car brake equippermitv considerable leakage between the cover a and the cast iron body of the valve. This is in effect brake pipe leakage and has reached such proportions as to'make'itnecessary to reduce the length of the trains in order to keep the air pressure in the system. within legal limits. For instance, trains of 150 cars have been reduced to as little as 50 carsin extreme weather solely on account of this leakage. I

The manufacturers have sought to correct the defect by providing improved back covers which apparently take care of the situation for new equipment, but that leaves. some two million freight cars with'the condition described. The

situation is so serious that the Association of be straightened in a suitably designed press That, however, is an unsatisfactory expedient, even though the presses were provided at all the appropriate repair stations, for as soon as the car with the straightened cover goes into the extreme cold weather the distortion is repeated and the leakage renewed.

Replacing the covers on some two million cars with improved covers at a cost on the order of $6.00 each presents a costly problem for the railroads.

The principal object of this invention is to pro vide a device that can be applied to the old style covers and will straighten them in place and hold them in proper position during service. ally speaking, this is accomplished by means of a frame fitting over the marginal portion of the cover and the bosses and pressing against the marginal portions of the plate between the bosses so as to force those portions into appropriate pressure contact with the gasket and hold them there during service. The frame in effect bridges the space between the bosses, which are of different heights, and serves at once as a press to straighten a distorted cover and a clamp to hold it in proper position.

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the back cover on the service portion of the AB valves;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the'opposite sideor inside of the back cover;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the back cover and a brace device embodyingthis invention;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 6-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the service portion of the AB valve with the brace 'devicein position; Fig. G is a frontelevation of the bracedevice; and p 1 Fig. 7 is a rear elevation of the same.

The back cover, generally indicated by ID, has a cylindrical dome I I for theservice piston return spring and associated parts and a cylindrical projection l2 for the release insuring valve. They areconnected by a web l3. Extending from the projection l2 upwardly andoutwardly past the dome II is a rib M in which there is a passage connecting auxiliary reservoirpressure with the release insuring valve.

Extending outwardly and around the parts I l,

1 l2, l3 and I4 is a generally flat marginal portion I5 provided with tubular bosses l6 and l! for stud bolts [8 and I9 and tubular bosses 20, 2 l, and 22 for cap screws 23. The boss 16 is higher or projects further than the other bosses.

It is this marginal portion l5 between the spaced bosses that becomes distorted or buckled outwardly so as to permit the leakage referred to. Perhaps the distortion is due to greater contraction of the cast iron valve body, thus bringing Generthe bolts and cap screws close'together.

On the inside of the back cover, as shown in Fig. 2, there is what amounts to an inwardly directed flange 9 of varying width, surrounding the edge portion of the back cover and having its face on one levelor one plane for cooperation with the corresponding face of the cast iron valve body with a sealing gasket between.

The brace device of this invention, indicated generally 24, is an open frame comprising a left side 25, a right side 26, a lower end 21, and an upper end 28 having openings 29, 30, and 31 aligned with the bosses 20, 2|, and 22 and openings 32 and 33 aligned with the bosses I6 and H.

The areas around the openings in the frame are. in position to rest against the bosses on the back cover and be clamped to them by the bolts and cap screws. Between the openings 3| and 32, the side 26 is raised or offset outwardly at 35 to accommodate the greater height of the boss Hi. This oifset portion extends beyond the opening 32 to 36to accommodate the extreme end of the rib 14. At 36, the frame is lowered or inset and extends around to the area surrounding the opening 29.

All along the outer margin of the frame 24 is an inwardly directed rib or flange 31 for contact with the corresponding portion of the back cover to force it into proper position and hold it there. In the form here shown, intended to be pressed from sheet metal, that rib is continuous, although the portions outwardly from the bosses on the back cover would not contact with the cdventoa'ny considerable extent. They might be omitted.

As shown by the section in Fig. 4, the lower end 21 is provided with an upwardly directed rib 38 and the left side 25 is provided with similar ribs 39, all of which add to the stiffness and strength of the end and side. The offsets -35 and 36 serve to give additional strength and stifi ness to the right side and the upper end.

In order to apply the brace frame, the nuts are removed from the stiid bolts [8 and I9 and the cap screws 23are'taken out. The stud .bolts l8 and 19 are then removedand washers inserted in the bottom of .theholes of a thickness corresponding to the thickness of the frame. The stud bolts are then replaced, the back cover is put on, and the frame 24s1ipped over the stud bolts 'IB-a'nd IS. The nuts are replaced on those stud bolts and the cap screws are insertedand screwed. up, care being taken to tighten the screw threaded fastenings evenly.

If there is any distortion in the. marginal portion of the back cover, the flange 31' .will straighten it and force thatmarginal portion into proper contact with the, gasket and hold it there.

which includes an upstanding dome in its central area and bosses in its marginal area for receiving elements fastening the cover to the body, said frame comprising a rigid metallic plate having a central opening for passing said dome and having a marginal area internally contoured to accommodate said bosses and apertured to pass said fastening elements and provided with downfile of this patentz,

The brace frame canbe madein a variety of ways and will take formaccordingly. The .gist

of the requirement is thatitpresents stiff beams in contact with the marginal portion of the back wardly directed flanges between said boss-accommodating contours forpressing the marginal area of the cover firmly against the valve body when the frame isv interposed between the-body and cover and the fastening elements are set up.

-' THOMAS H. BIRCH."

REFERENCES CITED The'following references are UNITED STATES PATENTS v Number Name Date. 1,584,523 Egbert May 11, 1926 a OTHER RE ERENCES H v Instruction Pamphlet' -No; 5062-1, November 1936, Westinghouse Air Brake Co., Pittsburgh, Pa.

of-record in the 

